Unit strip assembly



y 1949. A. ERICKSON 2,471,145

UNIT STRIP ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 30', 1944 a 4-1 I Q) PAR NO 5-69 PART NO 8- 69 PART NO 5- 69 C1 RT NO 5- 59 Patented May 24, 1949 UNIT s'rmr ASSEMBLY Andrew L. Erickson, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to Ditto, Incorporated, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of West Virginia.

Application December 30, 1944, Serial No. 570,589

4 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a method of producing tags from a web of paper or similar sheet material, and to tags. It is the principal purpose of this invention to provide a novel tag for identifying articles, which tag is made in such fashion that the individual tags may be put up in a large group consisting of a plurality of sheets wherein several tags are connected to each other so that they can be separated very easily, the assembly being in such form that each tag may be written upon while they are in the assembly and before they are separated.

My invention contemplates the provision of a multiplicity of overlapped like slips of sheet material such as paper wherein the sheets are secured together with a portion of one face of each sheet exposed on each side of the group. The entire group is preferably secured together at least along one edge and preferably along two opposite side edges by placing small spots of glue between them and then pressing them together. Each slip in the group is creased and punched before assembling so that the final production of a tag is a simple matter.

The particular objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the invention is shown. It is to be understood however that the drawings and description are illustrative only and are not to be taken as limiting the invention except insofar as it is limited by the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an assembly of slips as they appear when they are ready to be written upon or typed upon before being separated and used as identifying tags;

Figure 2 is a side edge view of a single slip showing how it is folded to produce a reinforced edge to receive a securing wire 'or string; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a completed identification tag with the attaching member thereon.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to the showing in Figure 1. In this figure there are eight slips of sheet material all identified by the numeral 5, the several slips being alike. In the making of tags such as are used for attachment to articles to be shipped, various materials are employed; sometimes card stock is used, sometimes a fabric is used to strengthen a paper body, and sometimes an ordinary tough paper is adequate. The present invention is applicable to such sheet materials and others not specifically mentioned. In order to make the device most convenient for use, I connect a multiplicity of the slips 5 by arranging them in overlapped relation so that a portion 8 of each slip is exposed at one side face of the assembly. In order to secure the several slips together, I utilize the small deposits I of adhesive between the slips and press the slips together. When the adhesive is dry, it is quite evident that the several slips can be handled as a unit and that each individual slip can be removed without difficulty. The exposed portions of the slips may be of any desired width depending upon the amount of typing or writing that is to be done thereon. Because of the construction of the assembly, the whole assembly can be run through a duplicator at once. There are no strings or fastening means to interfere with the use of the assembly in this fashion.

The single thickness of the slip as an individual unit is not sufficient to enable it to be tied by a suitable flexible means to a package that it identifies. In order to provide a portion of sufficient strength for tying to the package, I score or crease the slips to provide a plurality of fold lines indicated at 8, 9 and I0 in Figure 1 of the drawings. The scoring preferably is done before assembly of the strips. In assembling the slips, these fold lines are placed one over the other as illustrated in Figure l. I also punch a plurality of apertures ll, [2, l3 and M in each slip. The apertures l2 and [3 are centered with respect to the spaces between the fold lines 8, 9 and Ill. The

aperture H is centered between the fold line 8 and the adjacent end edge of the slip. The aperture I4 is spaced from the fold line in toward the center of the strip a distance substantially equal to one-half the distance between the fold lines.

After the assemblies have been written or typed upon and when they are ready to be used for attachment to the goods, each slip is separated from the others and is folded in the manner indicated in Figure 2 so that the section I 5 between the fold lines 9 and I 0 is folded over to align the openings l3 and M. Then the section I6 is folded in the opposite direction so as to lie over the section l5 and bring the aperture l2 in alignment with the aperture 13. The end section H is then folded over the fold line In so as to bring the opening ll into alignment of the opening M. This brings the section I! on the opposite side of the slip from the sections l5 and I 6. A suitable tying means such as cord, wire or ribbon, I8 is passed through the several openings H, l2, l3 and M to complete the identification tag as it is shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. The construction makes it easy for the tags to be prepared in advance and to be prepared by efficient methods on typewriters and duplicating machines and the like. For example, if fifty parts are to be tagged with the same tag, fifty of the slips 5 may be put'up in the form shown in Figure 1 in groups of as many as would be desirable to handle, and then the entire fifty may have the identifying information copied thereon. The one who is to do the tagging can then take the assemblies and utilize them, separating each slip from the assembly orunit as he needs them, or he may make up the several tags from an assembly with the full knowledge that it would not be necessary to write on the individual tags any important identifying information.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. A method of making a connected set of tag blanks from slips of sheet material which comprises providin each slip with a plurality of spaced parallel transverse fold .lines adjacent one end thereof extending across the entire width thereof and providing a row of apertures perpendicular to said fold lines in each strip, certain thereof lying between the fold lines, thereafter assembling the several slips into a group in overlapped relation so as to leave a portion of each slip exposed at each side face of the assembly for receiving identification matter, and applying adhesive to unperforated portions of said slips at the ends thereof to secure said slips together in assembled relation.

2. A shingled strip assembly comprising a plurality of strips of sheet material having a series of uniformly spaced transverse fold lines at on end of the strips with apertures intermediate the fold lines and apertures on opposite sides of said series of fold lines, said strips being separably secured in overlapped relation so that a portion of each strip is exposed to both sides of the assembly, each strip being connected to the adiacent strips at the end having the fold lines by a row of dots of adhesive-between the end of the strip and the nearest fold line.

3. A shingled strip assembly comprising a Pinrallty of strip of sheet material having a series of uniformly spaced transverse fold lines at one end of the strips extending entirely thereacross,

said strips having apertures therein intermediate the fold lines and apertures on opposite sides of said series of fold lines, said apertures being arranged in rows perpendicular to said fold lines and being uniformly spaced along the row, said strips being separably secured in overlapped relation so that a portion of each strip is exposed to both sides of the assembly, the strips being secured to each other at the ends thereof remote from the fold lines.

4. A unit strip assembly comprising a plurality of strips of sheet material having a series of uniformly spaced transverse fold lines at one end of the strips with apertures intermediate the fold lines and apertures on opposite sides of said series of fold lines, said strips being separably secured in overlapped relation so that a portion of each strip is exposed to both sides of the assembly, each strip being connected to the adjacent strips by spaced spots of adhesive arranged in rows along imperforate portions at both ends of the strips.

ANDREW L. ERICKSON.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 338,685 Morrell Mar. 23, 1880 1,677,344 Hubbard July 17, 1928 1,801,224 Coleman Apr. 14, 1931 1,817,837 Poux Aug. 4, 1931 1,900,564 Kiessling Mar. 7, 1933 2,068,359 Sundback Jan. 19, 1937 2,074,105 Dauphlnais Mar. 16, 1937 2,170,147 Lane Aug. 22, 1939 2,192,268 Lane et a1. Mar. 5, 1940, 2,228,109 Gates Jan. 7, 1941 2,248,317 Van Cleef July 8, 1941 2,316,797 Lichter Apr. 20, 1943 2,400,211 Rubinofl May 14, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 21,193 Great Britain Sept. 26, 1911 880,823 France Apr. 6, 1943 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,471,145. May 24, 1949.

ANDREW L. ERICKSON It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 3, line 35, claim 2, for the words at on read at one;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice. Signed and sealed this 25th day of October, A. 1949.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant ammiast'oner of Patent;- 

